


December For Cynics

by bluestargirl6 (pressdbtwnpages), pressdbtwnpages



Category: Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-01
Updated: 2006-12-01
Packaged: 2017-10-15 17:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/163025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pressdbtwnpages/pseuds/bluestargirl6, https://archiveofourown.org/users/pressdbtwnpages/pseuds/pressdbtwnpages
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Veronica's home for Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	December For Cynics

**Author's Note:**

> Written as future-fic during season 2. Canon diverged, so this is AU.

Veronica flew home after a phone battle with her dad about how he should just save his money and let her drive. She battled valiantly during the protests about the expense of gas and a hotel, she could make the drive in a long day, but folded when he got into the cost of wear and tear on her car. Secretly Veronica thinks her dad just didn’t want her to have an escape route. Now she was car-less and trapped. Home for the holidays, yay.

The plan was for Veronica to wait at San Diego International for Wallace’s flight from Chicago and then share a rental car. Only Wallace’s flight was three hours late and as fond as Veronica is of both San Diego and her nearly-step-brother, she was less than willing to spend that much more time in an airport.

Really, Veronica wasn’t terribly thrilled about coming home at all. She had seen everyone two weeks ago at Thanksgiving. And it isn’t Christmas this year so much as Alicia and Keith Getting Married. Not that Veronica had a problem with it, at all. She loved Alicia and her kids. Really and truly. And even if her mom came back clean and sober, she knew neither she or her dad would welcome her back. Still. Christmas should be Christmas, Veronica didn’t see what the problem with going to City Hall was. It’s meaningful. It could be. It would be. But, whatever, it wasn’t her wedding. At all.

Veronica had always packed light, a duffle bag full of clothes can easily last her a month. But Alicia insisted on sending the bridesmaid’s dress, and really, Veronica should have been touched, it fit perfectly after alterations, but had to be carefully packed and has a suitcase of its own also featuring shoes and jewelry and hair curlers and make-up in the colors Alicia “suggested”. So Veronica had to wait at the loathed baggage claim.

For some reason her flight from Oakland shared a baggage claim with one from Chicago. It didn’t seem logical at all, and Veronica was inwardly annoyed that Wallace couldn’t have been on the earlier flight. Inwardly annoyed had kind of been her default setting lately. Ever since Thanksgiving when Alicia and Keith dropped the bomb that plans for a Christmas wedding were almost complete.

Why are people at baggage claims so pushy, Veronica wondered. It’s not like they’re going to get their luggage that much quicker standing shoulder-to-shoulder and glaring at the baggage chute. Veronica herself waits about fifteen feet back and gets her feet run over by stupid little luggage carts. She likes little kids until she’s in an airport and then finds herself empathizing with the witch and Hansel and Gretel. Not that any of these children looked remotely tasty.

“You need some help with your luggage?” A male voice behind her asked.

“I’m fine. Thanks.”

“You sure?”

Veronica turned sharply to blast this guy for hitting on girls in airports, because, for one thing it’s monumentally lame and for another... “Logan?”

“Veronica,” he covered his surprise smoothly. “Hey. Crazy running into you here.”

“Yeah. Hi. Chicago?”

“Evanston, really. Northwestern.”

“Northwestern, wow.” Veronica attempted to cover her own surprise. “That’s a really good school, Logan.”

“Didn’t think I had it in me, huh?”

“No, I knew you could. It’s just I… I…”

Logan winked. “I have a lot of money.”

“Are you telling me you didn’t get in on your own merit?”

“If by merit you mean grades, then, no. But if by merit you mean the state of the art multi-media center that Northwestern will be opening in the fall, then, yes.”

“Logan,” Veronica sighed, old frustrations coming back instantly.

“So what about you? The plan was Berkeley, right?”

“Yeah. It’s great, I’m loving it up there.”

“But I bet you miss your family, right? Home for the holidays and all that.”

Veronica bit her lip and kind of rolled her eyes. “My dad and Alicia are getting married on Christmas Eve.”

“Wow, tell them congratulations for me.”

“I will. What are you doing back here?” Veronica inquired, hoping the question sounds polite. “I thought the plan was to get the hell out of Dodge.”

“It is. Was. Illinois is _cold_ , Veronica. I needed to thaw out and here seemed as good a place as any.”

“So where are you staying?”

“Neptune Grand. Penthouse.”

“Of course. And I assume you flew in first class?” Veronica smiled lightly, amused by the strange luxuries of the ridiculously wealthy.

“Always. Got an Alfa Romeo waiting for me at the rental counter too.” The smirk was classic Logan.

“Wow, money _does_ talk.”

“To some. So how are you getting back to Neptune?”

“Good question. The plan was to wait for Wallace, but-”

“All flights out of Chicago are majorly delayed.” Logan finished. “A pretty nasty snowstorm was kicking up when I left.”

“Terrific.”

“You want to ride up with me?” Logan offered.

“I couldn’t.”

“Why not? “ Logan’s brow scrunched up with genuine confusion.

“I don’t want to impose.“

“It’s not like we’re not going to the same place, Veronica.”

“Yeah, but…” She hesitated.

“Trust me, I can afford the extra gas it will cost to take you three more blocks.”

“I don’t know, Logan…”

“Are you afraid to spend 45 minutes in a car with me, Veronica?” Logan wondered, with false incredulity. “Is that it? Are you scared?”

“No.” Veronica insisted.

“Scared you can’t keep your hands off of me?”

“No!”

“I bet you’ve never even _been_ in an Alfa Romeo.”

“True,” Veronica admitted with a smile.

“So, come on, grab your bag,” Logan gestured at the lone suitcase left on the baggage carousel , “and lets go!”

Veronica nodded, a small smile on her face. “Okay.”

******

“Hey, Dad… Yeah, I’m in… uh-huh, uh-huh, actually, that’s why I’m calling…No, not to reassure you… I know. I suck. Anyway, Wallace’s flight is delayed… I think it was five hours last time I checked… It’s okay. I ran into an old friend at the baggage claim and I’m going to ride up with them and leave the rental for Wallace… Dad, it’s fine. Really… No! Don’t send Alicia! I’d really like to spend the time reconnecting with… okay, see you in an hour or so.” Veronica hung up with a groan.

“I remember when you used to like your dad.”

“I still like my dad! I just…”

“Yeah. Noticed my name didn’t come up in conversation.”

“God, Logan, nosy much?” But Veronica was smiling. “I was going to mention it.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Really!”

“Get in the car, Mars.”

“Alright,” Veronica slid into the expensive convertible without protest.

“So how have you been, really?” Logan asked, pulling the sports car out of the parking lot.

“I’ve been, okay. College is good, I have some friends. Classes, are over, thank god.”

“I hear you there,” Logan grinned lazily, leaning back against the head-rest, and glancing over at Veronica.

“What are you studying?”

“Right now, everything. I’m kind of interested in architecture though.”

“Architecture, really? Wow.”

“We’ll see though.”

“Oh, totally, it’s early still.”

“Yeah. So, what are you studying?”

“The same. A little of everything. A few extra photography classes.”

“You do enjoy the picture taking.”

“I do,” Veronica agreed with a nod.

“It used to be so annoying. You’d just bust out your crappy little camera and take pictures of _everything_. Do you remember the summer you photographed every single blossom of Celeste Kane’s rose garden?”

“I still have that series!” Veronica laughed at the memory. “A lot of them totally suck. Apparently I thought ‘blurry’ equaled ‘creative’ at that point!”

Logan glanced over devilishly. “You always have misinterpreted things.”

“Hey,” Veronica swatted him. “I thought this was fun, light, no-blame time!”

“Yeah. Sorry.” Logan stretched in his seat. “Wow, sixty-five degrees in December. Man, I miss California.”

“When I said ‘light’, I didn’t mean we had to talk about the weather.” Veronica teased. “How are you? Really?”

“I’m good. It’s nice getting a fresh start. Not being infamous.”

“Any girlfriends?”

“You so want me.”

“Yeah,” Veronica acknowledged, to Logan’s stunned surprise. “To leave me alone!”

“Ouch.”

“So… all this talk about me wanting you…” Veronica hesitated.

“Yes?”

“You want me still, don’t you?”

“Um, okay. Not pulling the punches here, huh?”

“Well, you brought it up,” Veronica pointed out.

“I guess.”

“Just tell me the truth.” Veronica requested, the ‘for once’ implied.

“Yeah, okay. Yes. You’re beautiful and smart and funny and I was totally hitting on random hot blond at the airport.” Logan admitted.

“But it’s just physical?” Veronica pressed.

Logan chuckled. “I don’t _know_ , Veronica. We haven’t talked, for real, in like a year. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you still hot for my bod?”

“Still?” Veronica asked, eyebrows raised.

“Seriously.” Logan reminded.

“Okay. Yeah, I still have feelings for you. I still care about you … as more than a friend.”

“How very Junior High.”

“What do you want from me?” Veronica laughed.

“Well, now that I know the truth, I kinda want to pull the car over and have my way with you.”

Veronica held up her hand in the image of a phone. “Hi Dad, I’m going to be a little late… oh no, nothing’s wrong. Logan and I are just, ohhhhhhhhhhh, having sex in his rental car at the side of the freeway.”

Logan burst out laughing.

“Please pay attention to the road.”

“I’d rather listen to you moan.”

“Ew, Logan!”

“What? I want you, you want me. What is the problem?”

Veronica eyed Logan curiously, “does that line actually work? Like ever?”

“I don’t know, Veronica. I’ve never tried it.”

“Liar.”

“Yeah. A little.” Logan admitted.

“So?”

“So… what?”

“Does it?”

“Not with the _quality_ girls,” Logan leered.

“Like you’d know quality girls if they bit you.”

“Now, Veronica, no need to disparage yourself.”

“Aww, Logan, I’m touched.”

“I missed this, V,” Logan told her seriously.

“Ogling me?”

“That too. But I meant the conversing and laughing and such.”

“Yeah, I missed it too. The last couple of years have been…”

“..interesting?”

Veronica nodded. “That’s better than what I was going to say. Wow, we’re in Neptune already?”

Logan exited the freeway. “Time flies when you’re-”

“-propositioning innocent travel companions?”

Logan glanced around. “Innocent? The only travel companion I have is…”

“Shut up.”

“But if my mouth’s closed…”

“What’s your cell number?” Veronica asked abruptly as they pulled up in front of the Fennel, now Fennel-Mars, home.

“Hasn’t changed. Why?”

“Because I am not spending the next four weeks here without,” Veronica patted Logan’s arm vigorously, “an escape route.”

Logan laughed loudly and genuinely, mouth open and head tilted back. Veronica watched, unable to recall the last time she saw him this happy.

“What?” Logan asked as his laughter subsided. It felt better than he can say to see Veronica, fresh-faced and wearing her unique brand of jaded innocence looking up at him in admiration.

“You seem happy.”

“I… I guess I am. It’s easier than I thought, just, being okay. You know?”

“I do,” Veronica nodded. “We made things far too complicated.”

“To be fair, they were never exactly simple.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Yeah.”

“I should probably go in.” Veronica noted reluctantly.

“I suppose you probably have to eat with your family tonight?” Logan guessed.

Veronica’s face broke into a grin. “Are you asking me out?”

“I was asking if I had to eat alone tonight.”

“Well, sadly, yes. But I can meet you afterwards, um, if you want. For…”

“Sex?” Logan asked hopefully.

“…a movie or something.”

“Something like sex?”

Veronica climbed out of the car, laughing. “I’ll see you around, Logan.”

******

It’s nice, being happy, for however briefly. Veronica was smiling, genuinely smiling as she walked up the steps to the front door. It doesn’t even matter that this wasn’t her house, will never feel like home.

She shook her butt and Logan honked once before zooming off. He reminded her of what she thought college would be, a bunch of guys and girls hanging out and making out and joking about sex. So far it has mostly been homework. But now she was free, no papers for a month!

Veronica pounded loudly on the door, dropping her suitcase to have free hands. Her dad swung it open and pulled Veronica into a tight bear hug.

“You saw me like a week ago!” Veronica laughs.

“Two weeks. I miss you.”

“Aww.”

“Veronica!” Alicia came up behind Keith, “welcome home!”

“Thanks.”

“What on earth have you done to your poor dress?” Alicia asked and Veronica couldn’t figure out what Alicia was talking about, she was wearing jeans. Then she noticed that her suitcase had flopped over.

“Oh, oops.” Veronica knelt to right it. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

“Why don’t I just…” Alicia held her hands out anxiously, “I’ll hang it up and make sure everything’s okay.”

“Alright.” Veronica faked a smile and added as an afterthought, “Thanks.”

“So how are you kiddo?” Keith asked, regaining his daughter’s attention.

“Well I’ve got four less papers due than I did when I saw you last. Other than that, about the same.”

“Which is good, right. You’re doing good? Happy and healthy and all that?” Keith pressed.

Veronica’s smile was genuine, “yes. I am good.”

“Well quit standing on the porch,” he tugged on Veronica’s arm, “and tell me how your flight was. And the ride up. Who did you run into?”

Swinging the door shut behind her, Veronica grinned. “Flight was average, ride home was really good. I missed Logan more than I’d realized.”

Keith dropped his daughter’s arm. “Logan? Logan Echolls?”

“Yes, father. The one and the same.”

“Are you two… I thought… Veronica, he’s dangerous.”

“He’s my friend. We’ve all grown up.” Veronica said gently.

“He hurt you.”

“I hurt him.”

“I don’t like the idea of you spending time with that boy.” Keith stated.

Veronica stood on her tiptoes to kiss her father’s cheek. “You don’t have to like it.”

“I remember the old days, when you were young, and used to listen to me.”

“Really?” Veronica inquired. “I don’t. When were they?”

“I think you were about two.”

******

Veronica unpacked because she would be there for a month and technically the room is “hers”. It didn’t feel like it though, because for one thing it’s cream colored with pale green carpet and has a wallpaper border of roses with antique furniture. It’s a very nice guest room, but it doesn’t feel like hers. Her room is 500 miles away and has matching striped sheets and comforter as its major decorative feature.

Unpacking doesn’t help, and her iPod was playing all the wrong music so that Veronica was skipping more than she listened to. It took her flopping on the bed and observing that there are no glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to the ceiling to realize that she was homesick. Not for school, but for a little apartment a few miles south and a half a mile west.

It’s funny how she always hated that life until she lost it. Veronica wondered when she had turned into Logan and he turned… happy. It’s strange and she was tired and tears burned in her eyes without falling. Veronica is not a fan of emotional turmoil, so when Darrell knocked on the door and announced it was dinnertime she blinked the moistness away and pounded down the stairs too loud, trying to be a bigger presence than she was.

Dinner was a nice affair with casserole and salad and rolls re-heated in the oven. She and Darrell drank milk with their dinner and it was like living a modern Rockwell. Complete with all-pervading silence. They all tried, and Darrell succeeded best, keeping the focus on kickball for a good six minutes.

Veronica knew she wasn’t the only one relieved when the phone rangs two-thirds of the way through the meal.

Alicia got up to answer the phone. “Wallace?… Oh, I’m sorry. Yes she is, just one moment please.” She gestured to Veronica. “It’s for you.”

Veronica stood and took the phone.

“Hello?”

“I would have called your cell but I wasn’t sure if the number.” Logan stated.

“You still have it?”

“If it’s the same, then yeah.”

“It is.”

“Alright. Next time then. So, hi, it’s Logan.”

“Hey, how are you?” Veronica laughed, tilting her head up.

“Bored senseless, you?”

“About the same.”

“Awesome. Want to tell your family your friend just had a dire personal emergency and you have to come rushing to my side?”

“Love to,” Veronica said wistfully, twisting the phone cord around her finger, “but I can’t. No car, remember?”

“I’ll pick you up in ten minutes. Figure out how to be out front by then.”

“Okay then,” Veronica told the dial tone before hanging up herself.

“So who was that?” Keith inquired.

“You know who that was. Logan. He’s picking me up in ten minutes.” Alicia opened her mouth to protest. “Something about some sort of personal crisis.”

“Fine,” Keith nodded. “We put the alarm on at 10:30.”

“The what?”

“Keith, don’t worry about it.” Alicia turned to Veronica “I’ll write the code down for you.”

“Thanks. I’m just going to run upstairs and grab my coat.”

“Don’t you think you should clear your place first and thank Alicia for this delicious dinner?” Keith coaxed.

“Don’t _you_ think it’s a bit late to be teaching me table manners?” Veronica asked but obediently cleared her things from the table. “Okay, now I’m grabbing my jacket. And dinner really was good Alicia, thanks.”

“You’re welcome, sweetie.” Alicia called, handing Veronica a slip of paper as she strode towards the door. “Have a good time.”

******

By the time Logan pulled up, convertible top still down, Veronica was standing at the curb , arms wrapped around herself.

“I love you,” she commented, walking around the car to get in.

“Trouble at Casa Fennel?”

“Trouble at Casa _Mars_ ,” she sighed bitterly. “So how have you been in the last few hours? Or in the seven minutes since you called?”

“Been good, Veronica.” Logan’s voice was full of mirth.

“Good! So where are we going?”

“I’m assuming you’re not hungry?”

“Not really, but if you are, I can always find room for dessert.”

“Did Veronica Mars really just proposition me?” Logan asked, eyebrows raised.

“Um, no. How did you even… dessert. I meant like chocolate cake, Logan!”

Logan shrugged. “A guy can hope.”

Veronica wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.

“You want me to put the top up?” Logan offered.

“Where’s the fun in that? Just turn up the heater,” Veronica advised.

“And squander our natural resources? What kind of person would I be if I…”

“Shut up!” Veronica shoved Logan.

“Just can’t keep your hands off of me, can you Mars?”

“Exactly that.”

“So… Drive-In then?”

“Tempting as that sounds Logan, I’m pretty sure there hasn’t been a drive-in in Neptune since 1978.”

“1978?”

“A case Dad worked on awhile back. Cheating wife claimed she was at the Drive-In with the kids when she was really knocking boots at the Camelot.”

“And where were the kids?”

“Watching a DVD in the back of her mini-van of course.”

“Of course. Wait. Were there DVDs in 1978?”

Veronica stared blankly at Logan. “The case wasn’t _in_ the ‘70’s. That’s just how long the Drive-In hasn’t been an option.”

“So no to the drive-in. How about the Camelot?”

“Wow, Logan, you really know how to take a girl’s cherished memories and make them cheap and tawdry,” Veronica observed.

“You cherish memories about the Camelot?”

“Yeah of co… How is that the point?”

“So burgers and Inspiration Point?” Logan suggested.

“No. To either.”

“What Veronica, are you scared to kiss me?”

“Kiss you?”

“You know. Two people two sets of lips…” Logan raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“I actually _do_ know what kissing is. I’m just sort of puzzled by the sharp left turn this conversation took.”

“We were talking about sex. Now we’re talking about kissing. Seems like a pretty natural progression to me.”

“It would.” Veronica leaned back and rolled her eyes. “You are such a _boy_.”

“Um, yes. So? Scared to kiss me?”

“No. Of course not. I just don’t believe in kissing someone out of peer pressure. Or for any reason other than out of mutual attraction.”

“Trust me it’s mutual.”

“Are we seriously still having this conversation?”

“Apparently.”

“Fine. Pull over.” Veronica commanded.

“What?”

“Pull over and get out of the car.” Veronica repeated.

“What the hell, Veronica?” Logan asked, but he pulled over and unbuckled his seatbelt.

“If we’re going to do this, we may as well just do it,” she explained, opening her door and darting around the car to his side. “Come on, out.”

Logan obeyed, utterly shocked that, once he was out of the car, Veronica stood on her tiptoes, closed her eyes, and touched her lips to his softly.

His arms went around her without him being fully aware of the action. He lowered his head to get better contact and was suddenly flooded with the nostalgia for the Camelot that Veronica had mentioned.

It was ludicrous, standing at the edge of a busy street in the dark and kissing tenderly.

It was the tenderness that surprised Logan. He always knew they were capable of heat, but this was… sweet and steady and nice. It was how he will kiss his wife someday. But he and Veronica have only been friends again for eight hours so Logan wasn’t going to do anything impetuous just yet.

More impetuous.

And really this was all Veronica’s doing.

The kiss ended naturally and Veronica rested her forehead against his chest. “Don’t say it,” she murmured.

“Say what?”

“‘I told you so’.”

Logan laughed. “You want to go to the boardwalk? That way I can have food and you can have junk food and we can just… hang out.”

“Yeah. Sounds good.”

“Or we could continue to stand at the side of the road and make out.”

“Let’s go, Logan.”

******

Logan glanced around the boardwalk uncomfortably. “Do you feel, I don’t know…”

“…Old?” Veronica supplied. “Yeah.”

“How is that even possible? We’re like six months out of high school!”

“Aww. Is your ego feeling fragile?”

“It has nothing to do with ego. I’m not old.”

Veronica laughed at him.

“I’m not!”

“I know.”

******

The knock at her bedroom door woke Veronica seconds before her dad stuck his head in. “You awake?”

Veronica stifled a yawn. “Yeah, now.”

“So this would be a good time for a father-daughter chat?” Keith asked, striding into her room and shutting the door behind him.

“Uh-oh.” Veronica started to tease, but at the look on her dad’s face stopped. “Sure. Talk away.”

“You like Alicia, right honey?” Keith asked, settling at the edge of his daughter’s bed.

“Of course! She’s great,” Veronica paused. “It’s just… sometimes I wonder what things would be like if mom had stayed.”

“Veronica, your mom and I…”

“It’s not that I want her back,” Veronica explained quickly. “She betrayed us. But. What if she hadn’t?”

“I don’t know, sweetie.”

“It’s not important. It’s just hard, you know, adjusting. To a new family and a new house-”

“And a new life?” Keith guessed. “I’m sorry kiddo.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you’re happy. Really,” Veronica insisted. “I’m just not quite there yet.”

“But you’ll get there?” Keith hoped. “Before 7pm on December 24th?”

Veronica grinned brightly, “That, or I’ll fake it with a smile.”

******

Veronica greeted Logan with a lingering kiss.

“Hello. Rough day?”

“Hi.” Veronica replied shyly.

“You okay?”

“Can’t a girl kiss her… um… alright. Not really.”

“What’s up?”

“It’s just -nothing. It’s boring. You don’t want to hear it.”

“Hey, Veronica?”

“Yeah?”

“I asked, okay? I want to hear if you want to tell. Want to go somewhere and talk?”

Veronica bit her lip and looked conflicted. “I kinda… lets just go have fun, okay? If I’m still upset later…”

“Sure.”

******

Veronica trembled at his touch, goose bumps coating her skin.

They were supposed to be dancing the night away at a club down the street from the Neptune Grand, but Logan’s touch was too heavy as he skimmed her shoulders. Veronica made a mental note to wear more clothing in his presence from now on.

His lips brushed her earlobe before making contact with her neck.

Veronica turned, smiling deviously and caught Logan’s eyes before dipping and contorting in a series of elaborate patterns she had never realized she was capable of. They were embroiled in a mating ritual and even through the haze of alcohol that blinds them both, they knew it.

Logan gripped her wrist and makes a sound low and predatory as he drags her out of the club and down the street.

Veronica never expected to find feral sexy, she thought she was too evolved for that sort of thing. But the look in Logan’s eyes, the idea of being the doe to his wolf… Half-running down the sidewalk to keep up, Veronica pressed Logan to the nearest wall and crushes her lips to his.

He shuddered against her, trying to pull her closer. There was no closer and Veronica laughed into Logan’s mouth.

They were easily distracted and by the time they had walked the half a block to the hotel Veronica’s dress was unzipped and her hair was a mess.

The elevator was inconveniently crowded, but fumbling up the stairs, Veronica was okay with that. Her willpower was shot and she was reasonably certain she wanted more from Logan than a thirty-second elevator ride.

They could barely walk by the time they reached Logan’s floor, staggering from a combination of liquor and lust, and it took more than a few tries to find the correct room and then the key card defeated them utterly. Veronica pulled Logan to her for a luscious, torturous kiss as he fumbled with the door which opened easily once they had stopped trying.

******

“This wasn’t exactly what I meant by ‘let’s go have fun’,” Veronica commented, her eyes fluttering open.

“I have to admit that my plan was more dancing and less sex,” Logan conceded.

“Was fun though,” Veronica murmured, curling closer to Logan.

“Yeah.” He brushed a kiss against her forehead.

“So…”

“This was a mistake, right? And you need to go?” Logan guessed, his voice neutral.

“I was actually going to invite you to my dad’s wedding. My bridesmaid’s dress is surprisingly cute.”

“Really?”

“As hard as it is to believe, not a single ruffle.”

“I meant, really you want me to stick around?”

“Logan,” Veronica sighed, “I care about you. And you’re my friend. I’m sick of thinking about everything and worrying about it. This is nice. I’m okay with that.”

“Wow, _someone’s_ matured.”

Without moving from their intimate position Veronica punched him in the arm.

“You’re cute and everything, but I’m not really into S & M.”

“Cute?” Veronica raised an eyebrow and pouted.

Logan leaned over her. “I may have phrased that-”

Veronica pulled him down on top of her and wrapped her legs around him.

“-wrong.” Logan sought out Veronica’s lips and they kissed through their laughter.

******

“So, walk of shame,” Logan teased, dropping Veronica off.

“And whose fault is that?”

“I didn’t hear you complaining.”

“Shut up, Logan.”

“No, seriously-”

“Don’t make me send for my dad and his gun.”

“He still has a gun?” A tinge of nervousness colored Logan’s voice. Veronica leaned to kiss him chastely.

“Seriously, don’t worry. Because we’re adults. And also because I’ve seen my father do the walk of shame because that is how subtle he’s not and he knows I’d mention it. So,” Veronica climbed out of the car, “I’ll see you.”

“What? No demanding a date? Promising you’ll call?”

“Later, Logan.”

******

“I want cookies,” Logan announced when Veronica answered her cell phone.

“That’s nice. Did you mean to call room service?” Veronica wondered. “Are you drunk?”

“No, I mean, like Christmas cookies.” Logan clarified.

“Okay, so?”

“You’re the one with the Rockwellian family. Don’t you have any?”

“Right now we’re more the catering family. Crab puffs, yes. Mushroom and Brie phyllos, yes. Cookies, no.”

“That is just disappointing.”

“I’m sure there are plenty of bakeries nearby selling very nice Christmas cookies.”

“I don’t want _baked_ cookies!”  
“Um, ew.”

“I mean, I don’t want them baked by, like, bakers. I want homemade cookies.”

“So make some.”

“I can’t bake.”

“Anyone can bake, Logan.”

“Really? Will you help me?”

“Why not?” Veronica assented.

******

A few hours later, covered in powdered sugar in the kitchen of the Neptune Grand’s penthouse suite, Veronica regretted her rash agreement.

“What did you do?” Veronica asked through clenched teeth.

“I was making the icing.”

“Why?”

“To frost the gingerbread people.”

“But they aren’t even… Logan? You do realize that the frosting goes on _after_ the cookies are baked, right?” Veronica asked.

“Now how does that make any sense at all?”

“You’re 18 years old and you don’t know this?”

“My cookies tended to just show up.”

“You’ve never frosted anything? Ever?”

“Cupcakes, once. At Dick’s birthday.”

“And were _those_ baked?”

“No need to get snippy, Veronica.”

“You just exploded a bag of powdered sugar all over me!”

Logan smirked at me. “For someone who’s so sweet, you’re awfully sour.”

“Don’t even try to turn this,” Veronica gestured at her filthy body, “into sex.”

“Why Miss Mars, the thought never crossed my mind.”

******

“I can’t get married without my son!” Alicia protested from the kitchen.

Keith turned to look at his daughter.

“If you’re about to ask me to road trip to Chicago to retrieve Wallace, don’t.”

“My wedding is two days away and my bride is refusing to go through with it.”

“I’m _sorry_.”

“So, that was Wallace,” Alicia explained, joining Keith and Veronica at the dining room table. “Apparently they’re starting to let a few planes through.”

“That’s great!” Keith grinned.

“But not enough to get everyone who wants to leave out.”

“Oh.”

“So Wallace gave me his blessing and told me to tell you all he loves you.”

Keith patted his fiancée’s arm.

“I’m so sorry, Alicia.” Veronica told her.

Alicia smiled weakly. “At least I have you.”

******

“It’s almost like a real family,” Veronica complained, stealing one of Logan’s fries.

“And that’s bad how?”

“Do you need a recap of the past two years? Allow me to welcome you to Neptune Familial Units 101: No good can come of them.”

Logan laughed. “Oh come on.”

“No, seriously. Name one time having family has _helped_.”

“Well, your dad-”

“Doesn’t count. That’s not family, that’s a partnership.”

“That’s screwed up, V.”

******

“I wouldn’t eat those if I were you,” Veronica warned as Logan picked up a spread-covered cracker.

“And why nor?”

“Because it tends to be bad form for the Daughter of the Groom’s date to go into anaphylactic shock at the reception.

Logan dropped the cracker quickly. “Crab?”

“Shrimp.”

“Still, thanks for saving my life. Care to dance?”

Veronica laughed at the lack of segue. “Love to.”

“So,” Logan asked, wrapping his arms around Veronica’s waist, “you okay?”

“Yeah, surprisingly. I think mostly I’m just relieved its over and that Wallace made it.”

“And that you’re spending the night with me?”

Veronica grinned and rested her head on Logan’s shoulder. “That too.”

******  
“I’m exhausted,” Veronica mumbled, tugging at the zipper of her dress.

“We could just go to sleep,” Logan offered.

“I’m not _that_ tired.”

******

Veronica awoke feeling like a kid on Christmas morning and then realized it _was_ Christmas morning.

“Hey.” Logan greeted, turning his head to better watch her.

“Hi,” she replied awkwardly, feeling distinctly awkward.

“What’s up?”

“It’s just, it’s Christmas.”

“Indeed. Wild guess, you don’t tend to spend them naked?”

“Not so much. Also there’s usually a tree and presents and a dad who isn’t on his way to Aruba for his honeymoon.”

“Well I can’t do anything about your dad, or a tree unless you like ficus, but I may have a handle on the present issue.” Logan kissed Veronica’s forehead before rummaging through the nightstand.

“A Gideon Bible? For me?” Veronica teased. “But, seriously, Logan I don’t have anything for you.”

“It’s okay, really.” Logan assured, presenting her with a small jewelers box, “I just saw this and thought of you is all.”

Veronica opened the box to reveal a small silver key charm on a chain.

“A key?”

“I don’t know. Like keys and clues and detectivey stuff. It just seemed you.”

“Whew. For a second I was afraid you were going to say something corny about the key to your heart.”

Logan kissed Veronica’s cheek sloppily with a smacking sound. “That too.”

“It’s great. Put it on?” Veronica requested, holding up her hair.

“Happily.”

******

Veronica watched her father kiss his bride as the clock chimed midnight. Logan nudged her shoulder.

They say how you spend your New Year’s is how you’re going to spend your year, so apparently Veronica will be spending it with a secret boyfriend going to school 2,000 miles away.

She clinked her flute of sparking cider against Logan’s and couldn’t wait.


End file.
